Mind, Body & Spirit

Following a kaleidoscopic thread of psychedelics, shamanism, psychotherapy, Santa Cruz hippies, cultural revolution, and German New Age-ers, Pollan crafts the narrative on psychedelics in the contemporary moment. Extensively researched, and at points laugh-out-loud funny, How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence is already in line for nonfiction book of the year. Quarter tab of acid not included with purchase. - Gabe

Joan Halifax is a scholar, anthropologist, activist, and Buddhist teacher. She has works with neuroscientists, psychologists, politicians, caregivers, teachers, and activists and has named five psychological territories she calls Edge States—altruism, empathy, integrity, respect, and engagement—that epitomize strength of character and can also be the root of suffering. Halifax notes that if we can teeter on the edge of each state and observe our behaviors and impulses from there, we can travel the range of the human experience and do so with openness and courage. - S.M.C.

This is not a “how to” introduction to Zen Buddhism; however, if you’re curious and want to hear about someone’s life experiences as they seek balance and enlightenment, Bow First, Ask Questions Later is well worth reading. I found it to be a fascinating rumination on life, faith, and the practice of caring for oneself. Greenwood’s writing is fun and engrossing, and she impressed me with her ability to look humorously on even the most bizarre situations she finds herself in. - Jax

When Zen practitioner and author Natalie Goldberg (Writing Down the Bones) was diagnosed with a dangerous blood cancer, she was suddenly thrown into the world of hospitals, medical lingo, and life-threatening urgency. Months into her own treatment, her partner was also handed a cancer diagnosis. With her Buddhist practice and steadfast spiritual gaze, Goldberg speaks to the importance of recognizing that it is the dance between the dark and the light, the hard and the easy, that makes life full and worthy of living. - S.M.C.

Heschel remains one of the most insightful and progressive spiritual thinkers. This collection, edited by his daughter, excerpts speeches and writings on social justice, prayer and inner life, faith and science, and the spiritual center of tradition in modernity. I recommend Heschel to anyone interested in living mindfully and affecting positive change in their communities. - Clara

This is the book that keeps resurfacing in my mind and in my conversations. I can’t stop talking about it! My personal understanding of “belonging” and my cultural understanding of “belonging” have been given a new language and a new mission. I think this shift in thinking has unlimited potential and such hope for better conversations with friends and foes, alike. - Jenny

The ‘How Stuff Works’ series by DK publishes some of my favorite books. This iteration is no different. Simple in its display of facts and easy to follow, How Food Works forms a fantastic introduction to nutrition and the role food plays in maintaining a healthy human. - Ian

Inside the Arician forests of Ancient Rome, a freed slave holds a sword and a tree branch. His title is Rex Nemorensis, the King of the Wood, and as long as he holds that branch, he remains so. This tale is just one of many others recounted by Sir William Frasier in his seminal work, The Golden Bough, which is a must-read for all those curious about the oddities of ancient culture. - Aric

Hirsch’s experiences facing chronic illness are a window into a significant public health and social issue. Ilnesses affecting young women are less likely to be taken seriously and the women are disproportionately affected by barriers in work, relationships, and medicine. Invisible amplifies the diverse voices in order to offer community and arm with information. - Clara

This is a must read for anyone living or working with adolescent girls. Orenstein bridges the generation gap to analyze how modern girls experience their bodies, sexuality, and sex. It’s a painful truth that the realm of sexuality remains potentially dangerous and damaging despite progress in women’s rights, but Orenstein’s writing is a great contribution to the conversation. - Clara